Justice Department: Lance Armstrong Was 'Unjustly Enriched'

By Andrew Rafferty, Staff Writer, NBC News

Lance
Armstrong violated his contract with the U.S. Postal Service and
"unjustly enriched" himself by cheating to win Tour de France titles,
the Justice Department argued in a lawsuit against the cyclist filed on
Tuesday.

The government announced in February
it would join a federal whistle-blower lawsuit against Armstrong
brought by the troubled athlete's former teammate Floyd Landis. Tuesday
marked the deadline to file a formal complaint.

"Riders on the
USPS-sponsored team, including Armstrong, knowingly caused material
violations of the sponsorship agreements by regularly and systematically
employing banned substances and methods to enhance their performance,"
the complaint says.

"Defendants were unjustly enriched to the extent of the payments and
other benefits they received from the USPS, either directly or
indirectly," the suit alleges.

An Armstrong attorney called the
lawsuit "opportunistic and insincere" and said the Postal Service made
money off the cyclist, according to the Associated Press.

From
1998 to 2004 the Postal Service paid about $40 million to sponsor the
team for which Armstrong won six of his seven Tour victories. In that
same period the USPS paid Armstrong $17 million, according to the
filing.

After years of publicly denying using performance
enhancing drugs, Armstrong admitted to cheating while riding his way to
victory on cycling's biggest stage.

Also named as defendants were former team Armstrong team director Johan Bruyneel and team management company Tailwind Sports.

SPOKANE, Wash. - An elderly North Spokane woman has been living in fear for months. She said an estranged relative abandoned a trailer in her backyard and then took off. She said the trailer has now attracted squatters and all sorts of criminal activity. She said she tried desperately to get it removed without any luck.

SPOKANE, Wash. - An elderly North Spokane woman has been living in fear for months. She said an estranged relative abandoned a trailer in her backyard and then took off. She said the trailer has now attracted squatters and all sorts of criminal activity. She said she tried desperately to get it removed without any luck.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - An 8-year-old Sacramento boy was beaten to death with a hammer while protecting his younger sister from being sexually assaulted by his mother's ex-boyfriend, according to court documents.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - An 8-year-old Sacramento boy was beaten to death with a hammer while protecting his younger sister from being sexually assaulted by his mother's ex-boyfriend, according to court documents. Investigators say Dante Daniels was beaten on September 1 and died six days later from his injuries. A criminal complaint says 23-year-old Deandre Chaney Jr. was performing a criminal lewd act on Dante's 7-year-old sister when Dante stepped in to help.

COLFAX, Wash. - Update 6:23 p.m.: Officials with the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network say a reported explosion near Colfax Monday afternoon may have been the result of a faulty reading related to an earthquake in Montana.

COLFAX, Wash. - Update 6:23 p.m.: Officials with the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network say a reported explosion near Colfax Monday afternoon may have been the result of a faulty reading related to an earthquake in Montana.

SPOKANE, Wash. - It's no secret that Spokane is struggling to fight homelessness in a battle that's been going on for years. People are getting passionate about what is and isn't being done about it. On Monday night, the city of Spokane wanted to hear from the community about tackling the problem of homelessness. Over a hundred people came to the meeting.

SPOKANE, Wash. - It's no secret that Spokane is struggling to fight homelessness in a battle that's been going on for years. People are getting passionate about what is and isn't being done about it. On Monday night, the city of Spokane wanted to hear from the community about tackling the problem of homelessness. Over a hundred people came to the meeting.

BREAKING: Charges of fraud and corruption in NCAA basketball have been brought against 10 individuals including coaches. The FBI has arrested ten people, including four college basketball coaches, as well as managers, financial advisors, and representatives of a major international sportswear company in a fraud & corruption probe.

BREAKING: Charges of fraud and corruption in NCAA basketball have been brought against 10 individuals including coaches. The FBI has arrested ten people, including four college basketball coaches, as well as managers, financial advisors, and representatives of a major international sportswear company in a fraud & corruption probe.

SPOKANE, Wash. - After a house break-in and burglary, one man already had enough on his plate. But then, he found out his dog was missing. “This was his area. This was his spot,” says Sean Copko. Sean got his 9-week-old blue heeler puppy Dale recently. He’s been posting his dog’s picture all over town in the hopes of finding him. “He's a little sweetheart,” he says.

SPOKANE, Wash. - After a house break-in and burglary, one man already had enough on his plate. But then, he found out his dog was missing. “This was his area. This was his spot,” says Sean Copko. Sean got his 9-week-old blue heeler puppy Dale recently. He’s been posting his dog’s picture all over town in the hopes of finding him. “He's a little sweetheart,” he says.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a mailing mix up, a little girl in Washington, D.C. sent her letter asking pet supply store Petco asking for a hamster to Pepco, a D.C. utility company. Despite her minor mix up, her letter seemed to win over the power company. Cynthia McCabe, Pepco's Communications Director, tweeted that customer services representatives decided to make Serenity's wish come true and gave her a hamster anyway. What a lucky

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a mailing mix up, a little girl in Washington, D.C. sent her letter asking pet supply store Petco asking for a hamster to Pepco, a D.C. utility company. Despite her minor mix up, her letter seemed to win over the power company. Cynthia McCabe, Pepco's Communications Director, tweeted that customer services representatives decided to make Serenity's wish come true and gave her a hamster anyway. What a lucky

DENVER, Co. (AP) - A Colorado principal has retired and an athletic director has resigned after videos surfaced showing a high school cheerleading coach pushing cheerleaders down in splits. Denver Public Schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg also on Friday released a report by a law firm that the district ordered after learning about the videos in August. Officials have said the school administrators saw at least one of the videos in June and

DENVER, Co. (AP) - A Colorado principal has retired and an athletic director has resigned after videos surfaced showing a high school cheerleading coach pushing cheerleaders down in splits. Denver Public Schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg also on Friday released a report by a law firm that the district ordered after learning about the videos in August. Officials have said the school administrators saw at least one of the videos in June and

In a media release from the Strahan family, they said: "The Strahan family invites the public to join them in a memorial service celebrating the life of their son Sam Strahan. The service starts at 2:00 pm in the University High School Gym. The family is so appreciative of the outpouring of love from so many people throughout this community. We hope everyone can join them for this celebration. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers."

In a media release from the Strahan family, they said: "The Strahan family invites the public to join them in a memorial service celebrating the life of their son Sam Strahan. The service starts at 2:00 pm in the University High School Gym. The family is so appreciative of the outpouring of love from so many people throughout this community. We hope everyone can join them for this celebration. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers."

(AP) - A federal judge has granted preliminary approval of a lawsuit settlement requiring Mercedes-Benz to replace seat heaters in up to 270,000 SUVs. Southern California-based Judge James Selna preliminarily approved the potentially $80 million settlement on Monday. The plaintiffs argue that seat heaters in some Mercedes-Benz SUVs made between 2000 and 2007 have been known to spark or smoke. A California woman who filed the lawsuit in 2014 said her seat heater burned a hole throug...

(AP) - A federal judge has granted preliminary approval of a lawsuit settlement requiring Mercedes-Benz to replace seat heaters in up to 270,000 SUVs. Southern California-based Judge James Selna preliminarily approved the potentially $80 million settlement on Monday. The plaintiffs argue that seat heaters in some Mercedes-Benz SUVs made between 2000 and 2007 have been known to spark or smoke. A California woman who filed the lawsuit in 2014 said her seat heater burned a hole throug...

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) - Is there going to be another addition to the Jenner-Kardashian clan? Several media outlets, including TMZ and People, are reporting Friday that 20-year-old Kylie Jenner, the youngest member of the reality show family, is expecting a child with her boyfriend Travis Scott. Reps did not confirm the pregnancy, however, and did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment. (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) - Is there going to be another addition to the Jenner-Kardashian clan? Several media outlets, including TMZ and People, are reporting Friday that 20-year-old Kylie Jenner, the youngest member of the reality show family, is expecting a child with her boyfriend Travis Scott. Reps did not confirm the pregnancy, however, and did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment. (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. NBC News - A semi-truck carrying pumpkins crashed early Friday morning in Florida, creating a charred pumpkin mess. The crash closed a portion of the southbound lanes of I-75 in Pasco County. Florida highway patrol investigators say around 4:30 this morning the truck driver was in the outside lane, and drove into a barrier at the exit ramp. The truck traveled southbound several hundred feet, before coming to rest and bursting into flames.

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. NBC News - A semi-truck carrying pumpkins crashed early Friday morning in Florida, creating a charred pumpkin mess. The crash closed a portion of the southbound lanes of I-75 in Pasco County. Florida highway patrol investigators say around 4:30 this morning the truck driver was in the outside lane, and drove into a barrier at the exit ramp. The truck traveled southbound several hundred feet, before coming to rest and bursting into flames.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. NBC - A WWII veteran finally received the medals he earned while serving in Europe more than seven decades ago. 94-year-old Roscoe Kerr, Junior joined the 28th Medical Depot Company when he was 19. He was in a crash and spent several months in the hospital before being discharged. For decades, he felt like he was never part of the greatest generation because he was never officially recognized. Kerr's son-in-law wrote to the Department of Defense to try and get his medals.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. NBC - A WWII veteran finally received the medals he earned while serving in Europe more than seven decades ago. 94-year-old Roscoe Kerr, Junior joined the 28th Medical Depot Company when he was 19. He was in a crash and spent several months in the hospital before being discharged. For decades, he felt like he was never part of the greatest generation because he was never officially recognized. Kerr's son-in-law wrote to the Department of Defense to try and get his medals.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) - A Minneapolis City Council member has given one of her opponents something to chew over - a piece of chewed gum. Twenty-year incumbent Lisa Goodman took the gum out of her mouth and handed it to challenger Teqen Zea-Aida before the start of a candidate forum Tuesday. Goodman asked Zea-Aida: "Would you take my gum, please?" Goodman tells the Star Tribune she couldn't find any paper to get rid

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) - A Minneapolis City Council member has given one of her opponents something to chew over - a piece of chewed gum. Twenty-year incumbent Lisa Goodman took the gum out of her mouth and handed it to challenger Teqen Zea-Aida before the start of a candidate forum Tuesday. Goodman asked Zea-Aida: "Would you take my gum, please?" Goodman tells the Star Tribune she couldn't find any paper to get rid